RULE ON EXAMINATION OF A CHILD

WITNESS
What is the presumption on the qualification
of a child witness?(Section 1)
Section 1. Applicability of the Rule. Unless
otherwise provided, this Rule shall govern the
examination of child witnesses who are victims of
crime, accused of a crime, and witnesses to
crime. It shall apply in all criminal proceedings
and non-criminal proceedings involving child
witnesses.
Sec. 2. Objectives. The objectives of this Rule
are to create and maintain an environment that
will allow children to give reliable and complete
evidence,
minimize
trauma
to
children,
encourage children to testify in legal proceedings,
and facilitate the ascertainment of truth.

Who may conduct competency

examination on the child witness?
SEC.
6. COMPETENCY. Every child is
presumed qualified to be a witness. However, the
court shall conduct a competency examination of
a child, motu proprio or on motion of a party,
when it finds that substantial doubt exists
regarding the ability of the child to perceive,
remember, communicate, distinguish truth from
falsehood, or appreciate the duty to tell the truth
in court.
(a) Proof of necessity. A party seeking a
competency examination must present proof of
necessity of competency examination. The age of
the child by itself is not a sufficient basis for a
competency examination.
(b) Burden of proof. To rebut the presumption
of competence enjoyed by a child, the burden of
proof lies on the party challenging his
competence.
(c) Persons allowed at competency examination.
Only the following are allowed to attend a
competency examination:
(1) The judge and necessary court personnel;

(2) The counsel for the parties;

(3) The guardian ad litem;
(4) One or more support persons for the child;
and
(5) The defendant, unless the court determines
that competence can be fully evaluated in his
absence.
(d) Conduct of examination. Examination of a
child as to his competence shall be conducted
only by the judge. Counsel for the parties,
however, can submit questions to the judge that
he may, in his discretion, ask the child.
(e) Developmentally appropriate questions. The
questions asked at the competency examination
shall be appropriate to the age and
developmental level of the child; shall not be
related to the issues at trial; and shall focus on
the ability of the child to remember, communicate,
distinguish between truth and falsehood, and
appreciate the duty to testify truthfully.
(f) Continuing duty to assess competence. The
court has the duty of continuously assessing the
competence of the child throughout his testimony.

WHAT IS THE SEXUAL ABUSE SHIELD RULE

AND WHAT ARE THE INADMISSIBLE
EVIDENCE UNDER THIS RULE?
.
SEC . 30. SEXUAL ABUSE SHIELD RULE.
.
(a) Inadmissible evidence. The following
evidence is not admissible in any criminal
proceeding involving alleged child sexual
abuse:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
.
(1) Evidence offered to prove that the alleged
victim engaged in other sexual behavior; and
.
(2) Evidence offered to prove the sexual
predisposition of the alleged victim.
.
(b) Exception. Evidence of specific instances of
sexual behavior by the alleged victim to prove
that a person other than the accused was the

source of semen, injury, or other physical

evidence shall be admissible.
A party intending to offer such evidence must:
(1) File a written motion at least fifteen (15) days
before trial, specifically describing the evidence
and stating the purpose for which it is offered,
unless the court, for good cause, requires a
different time for filing or permits filing during trial;
and
(2) Serve the motion on all parties and the
guardian ad litem at least three (3) days before
the hearing of the motion.
Before admitting such evidence, the court must
conduct a hearing in chambers and afford the
child, his guardian ad litem, the parties, and their
counsel a right to attend and be heard. The
motion and the record of the hearing must be
sealed and remain under seal and protected by a
protective order set forth in Section 31(b). The
child shall not be required to testify at the hearing
in chambers except with his consent.

(b) In ruling on the admissibility of such

hearsay statement, the court shall
consider the time, content and
circumstances thereof which provide
sufficient indicia of reliability. It shall
consider the following factors:

(1) Whether there is a motive to lie;

(2) The general character of the declarant child;
(3) Whether more than one person heard the
statement;
(4) Whether the statement was spontaneous;
(5) The timing of the statement and the
relationship between the declarant child and
witness;
(6) Cross-examination could not show the lack of
knowledge of the declarant child;

WHAT IS THE RULE ON HEARSAY UNDER

THIS RULE?

(7) The possibility of faulty recollection of the

declarant child is remote; and

SEC . 28. HEARSAY EXCEPTION IN CHILD

ABUSE CASES. A statement made by a child
describing any act or attempted act of child
abuse, not otherwise admissible under the
hearsay rule, may be admitted in evidence in any
criminal or non-criminal proceeding subject to the
following rules:

(8) The circumstances surrounding the statement

are such that there is no reason to suppose the
declarant child misrepresented the involvement of
the accused.

(a) Before such hearsay statement may be

admitted, its proponent shall make
known to the adverse party the intention
to offer such statement and its
particulars to provide him a fair
opportunity to object. If the child is
available, the court shall, upon motion of
the adverse party, require the child to be
present at the presentation of the
hearsay statement for cross-examination
by the adverse party. When the child is
unavailable,
the
fact
of
such
circumstance must be proved by the
proponent.

(1) Is deceased, suffers from physical infirmity,

lack of memory, mental illness, or will be exposed
to severe psychological injury; or

(c) The child witness shall be considered

unavailable under the following situations:

(2) Is absent from the hearing and the proponent

of his statement has been unable to procure his
attendance by process or other reasonable
means.
(d) When the child witness is unavailable, his
hearsay testimony shall be admitted only if
corroborated by other admissible evidence.

PEOPLE VS. POLANCO, GR NO. 141186

(WHAT IS THE CREDIT OF

TESTIMONY IN RAPE CASES)

CHILDS

It is likewise settled jurisprudence that

testimonies of child-victims are given full weight
and credit. When a woman or a child says that
she has been raped, she says in effect all that is
necessary to show that rape was indeed
committed